Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky arrived in Germany after Russian President Vladimir Putin released him Friday following more than 10 years in prison, the German Foreign Ministry said.

Khodorkovsky's son, Pavel, told CNN in a text message that he flew to Germany to meet his father.

In a statement following his release, Khodorkovsky said he asked Putin to pardon him on November 12, "and I am glad his decision was positive." He further said "the issue of admission of guilt was not raised" in the discussion.

He went on to personally thank those who followed his case and supported him and said he was "constantly thinking of those who continue to remain imprisoned."

Becky Anderson speaks to Pavel Khodorkovsky about the news his father has been granted amnesty less than a week after he told her about his doubts that the Amnesty law would result in his pardon.

This comes as Russian lawmakers backed a sweeping amnesty law Wednesday and as the nation's human rights is in the spotlight as the country prepares to host the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi in February.

The amnesty, to mark the anniversary of the adoption of Russia's post-Communist constitution in 1993, will be applied to thousands of Russian prisoners, the state-run RIA Novosti reported.

Becky spoke to Pavel Khodorkovsky about his thoughts before this "unlikely" announcement.